06 · Checklist

Checklist: local SEO and Google Business Profile

Be easy to find for customers nearby. The list starts with the profile and ends with the website.

yourweb.se/en/tools/checklists/local-seo-google-business-profile/

21 items in 5 groups

Your ticks are only saved in this browser. Nothing is sent to us.

Google Business Profile

7 items

  • Why: Google’s guidelines allow one profile per location. Duplicates split reviews and details.

  • Why: Otherwise you cannot change the details yourself, and someone else can get there first and claim it.

  • Why: The category should complete the sentence “This business is a …”, not list everything you do. It helps Google decide which searches you show up for.

  • Why: Wrong opening hours give customers a closed door and angry reviews. Use special hours for Midsummer, Christmas and New Year.

  • Why: The description may be at most 750 characters. Write what you do and for whom, without links, prices and campaigns.

  • Why: Real pictures of the premises, the team and finished work build trust in a way that stock photos do not.

  • Why: Google’s guidelines say that businesses that serve customers at their location should hide their address. That applies to, for example, a plumber who works from home.

The same details everywhere

4 items

  • Why: Google compares the details between sources. Small differences in name, address format or number make the profile and the website connect less well.

  • Why: A name such as “Plumber Gothenburg 24 hrs” breaks Google’s guidelines, and Google may stop showing the profile.

  • Why: iPhone users often search in Apple Maps, and Bing is used by several search and AI services.

    We correct the details in Apple Maps, Bing and directories

  • Why: Old or wrong details there spread to other services.

Reviews

3 items

  • Why: The fewer the clicks, the more people leave a review. Put the link on receipts, in email signatures and on the counter.

    Create a QR code for reviews

  • Why: Google forbids picking out satisfied customers or rewarding reviews with a discount or a gift.

  • Why: The replies are visible to everyone who reads. Say thank you, be factual and do not write out the customer’s name or details of the job.

    A package with a QR sign, a direct link and reply templates

The website

4 items

  • Why: Pages where only the place name is swapped are counted by Google as doorway pages. Write about real jobs, areas and questions in each location.

    We build three local landing pages

  • Why: Structured data tells search engines and AI services who you are, where you are and when you are open. Check the markup in a validation tool.

    See whether the page has structured data in the website test

  • Why: Search engines can read text, but not a picture of the address. The map and the directions make it easy to find your way from a phone.

  • Why: It is the first signal of what the page is about and where you operate. Lining up locations in long lists looks spammy.

Follow-up

3 items

  • Why: Calls, directions and clicks to the website show whether the profile brings customers. Note the figures so that you see the trend.

  • Why: Visitors can suggest changes, and wrong opening hours or an address can appear without you noticing.

  • Why: That is how your customers see it. Compare with your competitors: categories, number of reviews and photos.

    Read the guide Local SEO in Sweden 2026 (in Swedish)
  • No sign-up, no account
  • The ticks are only saved in your browser
  • Can be printed or copied as text

How to use the list

Three steps through the list

  1. Tick off what is already done

    Tap a row to tick it off, or use Tab and Space. Start with the profile: it gives the quickest result.

  2. Read why and follow the link

    Under each item it says why it is there. Where a tool, a guide or a fixed package can help, there is a link.

  3. Carry on when you have time

    What you have ticked off is saved in your browser. Print the list or copy it as text if you want to share it with someone.

Good to know

  • Your ticks are only saved in this browser, on this device. Nothing is sent to us.
  • They are not synced between phone and computer, and disappear if you clear the browser’s data or browse in private mode.
  • Menu options and names in Google Business Profile change from time to time, so they may look a little different for you.

What mistakes do businesses most often make with their Google Business Profile?

The most common is a company name with keywords, for example a service or a place added after the name. It looks clever but goes against Google’s guidelines, and Google may stop showing the profile. Use the name on the sign and on the invoices.

Next come the reviews. Offering a discount in return for a review, or asking only the satisfied customers, is not allowed. Make it easy for everyone with a direct link or a QR code, and reply to every review.

The third is local pages. Ten pages where only the place name is swapped do not help: write about real jobs, areas and questions in each location.

If you want to read more, there is our guide Local SEO in Sweden 2026 (in Swedish) and the page about SEO. If you want help, we update the profile, correct the details in Apple Maps and directories or build local landing pages, each with a price you are told before we start.

Fixed packages

Do you want to avoid doing it yourself?

There are packages for most of what is on the list. Prices include VAT, and the scope is confirmed in writing before we start.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about local SEO and Google Business Profile

Does it cost anything to have a Google Business Profile?

No, the profile is free. You only pay if you choose to advertise yourself or want help from someone who manages it for you.

Why doesn’t my business show on the map?

The most common causes are that the profile is not verified, that the category or address is missing or wrong, that the address is hidden although customers visit you, or that the details differ a lot from those on the website. Go through the groups about the profile and about details that are right everywhere first.

May I give customers a discount for a review?

No. Google forbids rewarding reviews and asking only satisfied customers for one. Instead make it easy for everyone, with a direct link or a QR code, and reply to every review.

Do you want help with your Google Business Profile?

Tell us what you want to improve, and we suggest what gives the most effect first. You get a written price before we start.

Chat with us